An Inside Look At Brook Lopez
Strong and steady. It’s not flashy, and won’t get the fans jumping out of their seats, but that’s probably the best way to describe Brook Lopez’s playing style.
The 7′0″, 260-pound center out of Stanford, who projects as a lottery pick in this year’s upcoming NBA entry draft, has most of the qualities teams are looking for in a franchise big man. Scouts are enamoured with his great size, big frame, good hands and soft touch around the basket.
Lopez may not have the “Wow!” factor possessed by some of his counterparts, but he is a very solid player who has a well-rounded offensive skill set, great defensive potential, and the size and strength teams so desperately covet.
Without a doubt, Lopez’s strength on offense lies in his face up game. An excellent mid-range shooter, he can keep a defence honest if they play off him, or take his man off the dribble if needed. When he does gets down low in the post, Lopez has a bevy of offensive moves to choose from. From his mini hook, to his spin moves and drop steps, Lopez is very efficient when he gets under the net.
The biggest issue seems to be when he has his back to the basket. Even though he has a physical advantage on most nights, it’s rare to see him back down his defender or take more than a dribble before passing it back out or forcing a shot. On occasion, when Lopez did get position down low, he seemed very mechanical and forced shots regardless of how the defence was playing him.
Unlike other aspects of his game, Lopez seems to lack confidence in this area, and though he may be better equipped to play at the top of the key or high post in the NBA, it’s still a concern that needs to be addressed.
Defensively, Lopez has a solid foundation to build upon and should make the jump to the NBA without too much of a drop off.
A very active defender, Lopez displays a good understanding of his defensive assignments. With good lateral quickness he’s able to consistently stay in front his man while often drawing offensive fouls or forcing travelling calls. Always in control and rarely out of place, Lopez may never become a defensive anchor, but his motor and size should help make him a consistent defender.
He has also shown glimpses of a talented shot blocker, ranking third in the Pac-10 with a 2.1 average this season. While not explosive or as athletic as some, Lopez seems to have a nose for the ball and continually finds himself in position to make a positive play.
His rebounding is a concern for some. As a seven footer with a build such as his, many believe he should’ve been a much better rebounder than his 8.2 average shows. As he takes the next step and prepares for battles against the Shaquille O’Neals and Dwight Howards of the league, Lopez will need to work on hitting the boards harder if he doesn’t want to get rolled over on a nightly basis and be labelled as a soft player. A 12 block, 16 point and 12 rebound, game against USC in his freshman year shows that Brook can be a force defensively if he brings it every night.
Coming off an impressive season where he was named to the All-Pac 10 Freshman team, expectations for Lopez were high entering his sophomore year.
Unfortunately the season started off on a sour note, as he was ruled academically ineligible for the fall quarter, and as a result missed the first nine games of the season. After taking responsibility and expressing his regret over the suspension, Lopez returned to the team with an improved work ethic and more importantly, with an even better game.
Overall, his numbers were up across the board from last season, with the biggest improvement coming at the offensive end. Lopez had raised his scoring average from 12.6 to 19.3 a game, highlighted by a memorable 30-point outburst against Marquette in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Overcoming a 1-7 start, Lopez carried his team down the stretch and cemented his breakout year in overtime, scoring eight of Stanford’s 11 points and hitting the game winning basket with three seconds left.
The opinion seems to be split on the potential of this Stanford standout. Some feel with continued work on his post up game and improved rebounding, Lopez could become a reliable 20-10 man, who can become an excellent number two option. Others believing he’s a role player at best, a decent big man with limited upside who can fill a gap but is not the above average starter his projected high draft status suggests. With Lopez only working out for the Timberwolves and Sonics at the number three and four spot respectively, it looks as though he might slip into the top five.
As the old saying goes, “You can’t teach size”. This sentiment rings very true in this case. Despite not having the upside or potential of some, an NBA ready body and the ability to make an immediate impact in his rookie season will make Brook Lopez an intriguing pick for any team starved for an inside presence.
Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media
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